Scholarships 

The 2024 application period has ended.

We will announce this year's winners at our 2024 Annual Meeting.

Concern for Community Scholarship Award Recipient

Mayra Olivas

Award Amount: $2,000

Myra lives in a rural agricultural community and noticed how the increase in trash and litter on the roads affected livestock living nearby. Myra organized a community clean-up day where they collected two 50-gallon bags of trash as well as larger trash items such as tires and couch cushions.

Myra is currently attending the University of New Mexico where she is working on her pre-medical degree so she can serve the health needs of rural New Mexico.

After college, she wants to continue her education to become a Doctor of Medicine to do her part in helping address the health disparities that rural New Mexicans face.

Her mother is her biggest role model. Her perseverance through difficulties and hard-working attitude has inspired her to strive for the extraordinary.

Build a Business Plan Scholarship Award Recipient

Maya Leitka

Award Amount: $2,000

Maya created a business plan for a nonprofit organization piloted by New Mexico’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to combat diaper insecurity.

Maya is currently attending the University of New Mexico and is passionate about our community and invested in creating and striving towards a healthy and happy future for all people in our state. She believes that everyone deserves to have access to help, love, and safety within our community, which was one of her core values for the business plan she drafted. She has learned a lot about various non-profit organizations and volunteer opportunities that address these core values, through UNM’s Department of Sociology & Criminology, and is eager and passionate to continue studying alongside such brilliant colleagues and professors in her field.

Her biggest short-term goal is to enroll in UNM’s Department of Sociology & Criminology internship program.

One of her biggest role models is her stepdad. He has always been supportive and has pushed her to reach for greater heights, not just in school, but also in her personal life. He has inspired her work ethic and positive mindset.

Vigil Bullying Prevention Scholarship Award Recipient

Carson Padilla

Award Amount: $2,000

Carson received this scholarship for his essay describing his active involvement in the Natural Helpers group at his high school. The group is dedicated to anti-bullying and suicide prevention, working toward the overall goal of making the school a safer and more inclusive environment for all students.

Carson is a senior at Farmington High School and has plans to attend Ottawa University in Arizona.